Method of producing camphor from camphene, isoborneol, or other camphor-producing substances.



filled with this solution,

UNITED STATES PATENT oration CHARLES GLASER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

METHOD OF PRODUCING CAMPHOR FROM CAMPHENE, ISOBORNEOL, OR OTHER CAMPHOR-PRODUCING SUBSTANCES.

Application filed January 26.1906- Serial No.

Specification of Letters Patent.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES GLASER, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of the city of Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful lm rovements in Methods of Producing Camp ior from Camphene,

lsoborneol, or other Camphor-Producing Substances, which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a method of producing camphor from camphene, or other camphor producing substance.

In an application for patent filed by me in the United States Patent O'fli oe January 18th, 1906, Serial No. 296651, I have described a process of oxidizing any of the substances named above to camphor by the action of a solution of a hypochlorite. This result can be acobmplished in another way. If a solution of a chlorid is subjected to the action of an electric current, camphene, isoborneol, or borneol, or other camphor yielding substance may be oxidized to camphor.

The process may be performed as follows: make a solution of common salt (sodium. chlorid) of such a strength that it will easily conduct an electric current. 2%% to 5% will suflice. A suitable cell containing a porous diaphragm, such as a porous cup, is then half both outside and inside of the porous cup, to the same height. A current is now connected to the cell, placing the anode on the inside of the porous cup and the cathode on the outside. I then place a suitable quantity of, for instance, isoborneol on top anode-room, i. e. on

of the electrolyte in the the inside of the porous Oil isoborneol,

cup, and pass a current of about one ampere to each sq cm. of cathode surface. The usual electrolysis oi the place, the chlorin will appear in the form of hypochlorous ions in the interior of the porous cup or anode-room, and cause a rapid oxidation of isoborneol to camphor. Isocient for 100 parts isoborneol, but it is advantageous to use an excess of sodium chlorid. Since the sodium chlorid is largely l regenerated after the current is stopped, it is I possible to convert large quantities of camphor-yielding substances with a given quantity of chlorid of sodium.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The process of obtaining camphor which consists in suspending isoborneol in a solution of an alkali metal chlorid, passing an electric current through the mixture, and separating the camphor.

2. The process of obtaining cam hor, which consists in suspending isoborneol solution of sodium chlorid, passing an elec tric current through the mixture and separating the camphor.

Signed. by me at Baltimore, 24th day of January, 1906.

CHARLES GLASER.

Maryland, this Witnesses W. E. STRAUS, FLORENCE BARRETT.

chlorid will take 40 borneol and. borneol are thus rapidly and 45 

